As a military spouse, I feel this truth deeply. Thank you for putting words to it. It bears repeating early and often that “the end” isn’t equivalent to failure or the end of all goodness - like winter, it’s part of the cycle we can trust God with the seasons of our lives … our times and spaces. (Acts 17:25-27)
This comes at an appropriate time. After losing my husband to cancer six months ago I am now in a season of transition where I will likely leave my community of over 30 years. It’s a lot of loss but I sense God is moving me onward to other good places, people, and purposes as He ends the good things in my present life.
Thank you for this - I feel the loss of relationships and deep community from a couple moves (over a decade ago) and not having newer relationships to replenish that space, at least at the depth that we had previously. Your words are both challenging and comforting to read, thank you, Sara.
Sara, I feel like the Lord has been confronting me with some false beliefs I’ve had about friendship and connection in the past 6 months or so. I want to hold on so tightly sometimes. I think about how it’s true what you said- for me it’s a heart issue that I don’t always trust God will bring the next set of good gifts amidst life when it gets “lifey.”
This post is just one more arrow from Him. Thank you!
This post troubled me and caused me to reflect on my friendships over the past years. I too have had several moves that disrupted my sense of community and had to start over, and yet the Lord has preserved long years of friendships (some over 50 years). I do have several friends who moved away and we’ve lost that connection. In 2020 we moved again and had to start again to build community, not easy in the pandemic. Since my kids are grown, it’s taken longer this time to form new friendships. What I’ve learned is that it takes intentionality to make and maintain friendships, especially long distance ones, but it is so worth it. Perhaps because I do not have a daughter, my friendships are very dear to me and one of God’s greatest gifts. New friends are wonderful but having those old friendships are irreplaceable, the ones who know your story after your parents are gone. The title of a book I read several years ago sums it up well, “My glory was I had such friends.”
Thank you for this truth. I’ve been struggling and learning since my marriage and move away from all my family and many-year community. You’re putting good words to it. And I’m discovering how FAITHFUL He is to add new treasures into the new spaces our endings create.
I don’t like this.
But, it’s truth.
As a military spouse, I feel this truth deeply. Thank you for putting words to it. It bears repeating early and often that “the end” isn’t equivalent to failure or the end of all goodness - like winter, it’s part of the cycle we can trust God with the seasons of our lives … our times and spaces. (Acts 17:25-27)
Sara, I just read this meme immediately after reading your post ...
"the kindest thing you can do for yourself
is to let people go when they want to go.
no chasing. no begging.
let it hurt, then let it heal.
- Parm K.C. -"
x
This comes at an appropriate time. After losing my husband to cancer six months ago I am now in a season of transition where I will likely leave my community of over 30 years. It’s a lot of loss but I sense God is moving me onward to other good places, people, and purposes as He ends the good things in my present life.
Thank you for this - I feel the loss of relationships and deep community from a couple moves (over a decade ago) and not having newer relationships to replenish that space, at least at the depth that we had previously. Your words are both challenging and comforting to read, thank you, Sara.
Sara, I feel like the Lord has been confronting me with some false beliefs I’ve had about friendship and connection in the past 6 months or so. I want to hold on so tightly sometimes. I think about how it’s true what you said- for me it’s a heart issue that I don’t always trust God will bring the next set of good gifts amidst life when it gets “lifey.”
This post is just one more arrow from Him. Thank you!
This post troubled me and caused me to reflect on my friendships over the past years. I too have had several moves that disrupted my sense of community and had to start over, and yet the Lord has preserved long years of friendships (some over 50 years). I do have several friends who moved away and we’ve lost that connection. In 2020 we moved again and had to start again to build community, not easy in the pandemic. Since my kids are grown, it’s taken longer this time to form new friendships. What I’ve learned is that it takes intentionality to make and maintain friendships, especially long distance ones, but it is so worth it. Perhaps because I do not have a daughter, my friendships are very dear to me and one of God’s greatest gifts. New friends are wonderful but having those old friendships are irreplaceable, the ones who know your story after your parents are gone. The title of a book I read several years ago sums it up well, “My glory was I had such friends.”
Sometimes.
Thanks, Sara!
Thank you for this truth. I’ve been struggling and learning since my marriage and move away from all my family and many-year community. You’re putting good words to it. And I’m discovering how FAITHFUL He is to add new treasures into the new spaces our endings create.